Fool-Proof Method for rounding a cow horn for base plug.

[omarick1948]

For making a powder horn that is! ... I have received several PT messages on how to get a cow horn round for getting ready to make and fit a base plug.

The following is a few photo's of a horn I rounded that was a little more flat than normal. Note that the walls are fairly thick, so with the help of heat it shaped into a nice horn.

Thanks and hope this helps you folks who want to make a powder horn!

Rick

Horn just trimmed and squared before heating.

Horn heated with heat gun or hot cooking oil at around 325 degree's and then quickly forcing shaping cone into horn cavity to cool thoroughly.

Wood sizing cone removed and horn ready for making base plug.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I like how you shaped the sizing cone and have a handle. Makes a lot of sense. :thumbsup:

 

[rabjr]

Hey! That was my stubborn horn! :haha: :thumbsup:

 

[BillinOregon]

Horner, that's a nice horn plug indeed. Did you use a heat gun on this particular horn? I tried the hot oil once and didn't care for the smell or the grease.

 

[50cal.cliff]

http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/horner1948/IMG_1247.jpg[/IMG]

Horner I think I recognize that object. Is that from a cone colander?
I hadn't thought of using one of those. My mother used to have one she used when she was canning. Boy there is a dying art (canning)!

 

[omarick1948]

Yes, That is exactly what it WAS!... I cut off the end and have several of different sizes, along with some other cone forms I turned on my lathe.

Swampy, Your paying attention... :rotf:

Bill, Hot oil on the base area only!... Use your hot oil outside and keep peace with the War Department! ...

Rick :rotf:

 

[mikemeteor]

Yes I cut off the end and have several of different sizes, along with some other cone forms I turned on my lathe.

Great idea ! but I'm certain my wife would say NO WAY could I "destroy" a kitchen item received from her mother.

I used a section of an old baseball bat that I got for pennies at a yard sale. The tapering is good and most needed radius's (radii?) exist somewhere between the grip and the barrel.

 

[crockett]

I think on cow horn you really need the oil, boiling water is not enough. On Buffalo horn you can get away with boiling water but the buffalo shrinks a bit so you don't want to jam the round form in too hard or you'll get a bulge or ring when the Buffalo horn dries. On a thick cow horn this is non-existent or much less of a problem.

 

[gmarc]

Horner

How much of the horn's base do you immerse in the oil, for how long?

Does the oil maintain heat longer, which keeps the horn plastic/moveable for a longer time?

Do you have to clean the oil out of the horn after shaping, using a solvent or soap?


I'm interested in the physics of this.

 

[omarick1948]

Horner

How much of the horn's base do you immerse in the oil, for how long?

Does the oil maintain heat longer, which keeps the horn plastic/moveable for a longer time?

Do you have to clean the oil out of the horn after shaping, using a solvent or soap?


I'm interested in the physics of this.

For heating horn (any horn), you need high enough heat to SHOCK or help break down the fibers, so the material make-up of the horn looses it's memory or the horn will try to expand back to it's original form. You can see this all the time, when someone will make a horn and try to use boiling water and after awhile, the horn starts to change it's shape around the plug area and body. I have seen many flattened horns start to "bloom-out" and loose their flat sides this way. Over the past 35 plus years making these horns, I found out early about boiling water heating horn problems.

I have a deep fryer for shaping horn in oil. I use a candy thermometer and get my oil to between 325 and 340 degree's. NOTE! Always drill your stopper hole before before you put the horn in hot boil to vent the inside of the horn and not cause an air bubble expulsion during heating!!!

Wear heavy work gloves and carefully lower the base of the horn (about a third to one half of the horn) into the hot oil and after a few seconds tiny bubbles with start to rise from your base area of the horn. .. When the tiny bubbles stop. Pull your horn out of the oil and check to see if it is pliable. Another way is to put your horn in the hot oil and count to ten and then take out to count of ten, and then back in to ten and then back out continuing this several times till horn is pliable. WATCH YOUR HORN! Get it to hot and you will scorch or cook it!

Now quickly wipe most of the hot oil off the outside and inside of the horn and push your forming cone inside. You can use a rubber mallet to tap it home, but don't get carried away or you can split the horn!

At this point, I spray the outside of the horn with SIMPLY GREEN or any degrease cleaner to remove the oil. After the horn totally cools, I remove the forming cone and spray the inside clean as well!

Some Horners will immediately dip their horns in water to cool, but I have split perfectly good horns doing that! ... I usually replace the horn forming cone back into the horn and let it cool on it's own overnight before continuing.

Rick

 

[BillinOregon]

Rick: The additional information is mucho appreciado, Amigo!

 

[MSW]

Thanks for the mini- tutorial ... now inspired, i'm gonna get all brave and give it a try ... good thing you warned about not immersing the whole horn in the oil; i was about to do just that and i can't help but suspect that the result would not have been what i wanted.

thanks again for the post~!

 

[gmarc]

Outstaning information; succinctly delivered! Thanks Horner